Tutti i miei domani saro con te

I've finally found some time (and a computer with functional internet access) to catch up on what's been going on over here in Cortona. So here's the deal, this place is straight out of Etruscan times, as far as the architecture goes. The town is fantastic, all of these narrow, curving passageways that lead back to the main piazza or up to the top of the hill near the Medieval fortress. The locals are the farthest thing from Medieval though, they are the epitome of Euro-chic. Everyone, seriously even the toddlers, dresses better than I ever do! On some days I look put together enough to fly as a somewhat with it tourist, but never super fly like these Italians.

Besides their cool attire, the Cortonese are pretty friendly and generous with the UGA art students. The program has been coming here for 40 years, so the community kinda embraces us American art kids. The local grocery store, the only one and it is about the size of a fairly small barbershop, is called Molesini's and they gave us all tote bags to carry are groceries up the gigantic hill to our dorms. Oh the hill! It's great because I never feel bad about eating too much pasta or gelato since I am CERTAIN to work it off walking home. It really is a spectacular walk though. Right about the time where your calf muscles are screaming at you, there is this amazing lookout point. Apparently even medieval Cortonese peeps needed a break every now and then too.

The students in the program are great. People from all over the country, we are all used to working in all sorts of media. It's really interesting to be thrown into this environment together and be forced to work in ways we aren't used to. It's a healthy art challenge I think. I am the only student who is graduating this December (not the oldest though, there are a few going on fifth and sixth years) so its a good feeling to have both freedoms and limitations in my designs again. Freed from making what I'm so used to making and limited to certain materials, in my case stone and bronze.

The studio space is interesting because most of the classrooms are directly below our dorms. Also, they are all interconnected, you can walk through 3 other studio rooms on your way to class. It's kinda close quarters with everyone, but it is still really cool to be living with these people and working with them at the same time. My roommates are great, really chilled out and fun, Eliza from Philly and Olivia from Atlanta. But it seriously feels like all of the 47 other kids are my roommates too, we eat breakfast, sometimes lunch, and always dinner together, we work on art late together, we get pissed about the crappy internet in the common room together, its just like freshman year! Oh geez, one side comment that I just want to share. There is this kid, his name is Nathan but his nickname is Nicaragua, who is so funny. Not intentionally funny, but just funny in the way he lives his life. So he used to live or study abroad or was a cowboy or something in Latin America over the summer, speaks pretty much only in spanish to everyone he meets, and sometimes plays his flute in the dorm at night. he is a cartoon character. But i love it, he's so entertaining.

As much time as I'm spending surrounded by people, I do find a surprising amount of quiet time, which is tremendous around here because it is literally silent! There are some great paths to hike around the hill, a nice park with amazing views, and road that loops down around 'Bramasole', the under the tuscan sun house. It's never an eerie silent or creepy alone time though. just peaceful. I have never once felt worried about safety since I've been here. Granted, there is a old geezer town drunk, so I watch out for him. But really, he is just ridiculous. He's like 90 and wears Michael Jacksonesque gloves everywhere he goes. Not really a threat, just amusement!

So that's all I've got for now. More adventures to come. Ciao Ciao